Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former 49ers players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
Especially interesting is good performance of Casper Ware (16 points), Deishuan Booker (9 points), and Mike Caffey (6 points).
#1. Experienced champion Casper Ware, a 5'10'' point guard at 36 years old who graduated from LBSU in 2012 and received the All-Big West All-Tournament MVP award that year, currently plays professionally in Russia. In a recent game, he was a major contributor in CSKA's victory over the closely-ranked Lokomotiv with a score of 103-92 in the VTB United League. Ware played for 28 minutes, scoring 16 points and providing 4 assists. The game was highly anticipated as it featured two top 4 ranked teams, with PBC CSKA Moscow (37-3) leading the league standings. This win marked CSKA's tenth consecutive victory, showcasing Ware's impact on the team. It was his fourth season with the club, and he displayed an impressive performance against Lokomotiv, contributing significantly to the win with 16 points, 1 rebound, and 4 assists. His efforts were instrumental in helping his team secure the victory and emerge as the champion. Throughout the season, Ware has maintained solid statistics, averaging 12.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game in the 47 games he has played so far as a finalist.
#2. Deishuan Booker, a 6'3'' guard who is 29 years old and an alum of the 49ers from 2019, currently plays professionally in Israel. Despite his individual efforts, Booker was unable to lead Bnei Hertzeliya, where he is currently playing, to a victory against the powerhouse Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the Israeli Winner League. In the game, he showcased his skills by scoring 9 points, distributing 7 assists, and recording 4 steals in 35 minutes of play. However, his team suffered a heavy defeat of 137-75 on the road against Maccabi Tel-Aviv, marking Bnei Hertzeliya's first loss after a streak of three consecutive wins. With only two games remaining in the Regular Season, each upcoming match holds significant importance for the team. This season marks Booker's first with Bnei Hertzeliya, and he has been demonstrating solid performance on the court, averaging 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in the four games played so far. Despite the challenging loss to Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Booker's contributions and consistent stats indicate his valuable presence for Bnei Hertzeliya as they strive towards success in the league.
#3. Mike Caffey, a 6'0'' point guard who is 33 years old and a finalist from LBSU in 2015, where he received the All-Big West First Team award, currently plays professionally in Romania. In a recent match, Caffey played for Voluntari but could not lead his team to victory against Rapid in the Romanian Liga Nationala Baschet de Masculin. Despite his notable performance where he scored 6 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists in 25 minutes of play, Voluntari ended up losing 82-89 to Rapid in Bucuresti. Rapid, ranked #5, managed to secure the victory over Voluntari, who had a 20-8 record at the time. Throughout the season, Caffey has maintained relatively good statistics, averaging 10.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in 36 appearances. His consistent contributions on the court have been commendable, showcasing his skills and experience as a seasoned basketball player.
#4. Joel Murray, a 6'0'' point guard and 26-year-old 49ers alumnus from 2023, is currently playing professionally in Belgium. In a recent game, Murray led Windrose Giants Antwerp to a 91-79 victory over the eighth-ranked Limburg United in the Belgian Pro Basketball League. Despite facing a tough opponent, Murray's performance was exceptional as he contributed 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in 27 minutes of gameplay, showcasing his skills on the court. This win helped Windrose Giants Antwerp secure a significant victory, positioning them as a top contender in the league. It is worth noting that this is Murray's first season with the team, yet he has already made a significant impact with his impressive gameplay. Throughout the season, Murray has maintained good statistics, averaging 11.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game over six games. His consistent performance and leadership on the court have been instrumental in the team's success. In the game against Limburg United, Murray's stellar play and crucial contributions were vital in helping his team emerge as the champion. His determination and skill set him apart as a standout player in the league, showcasing his potential to continue excelling as a finalist in future games.
#5. Israeli Gabe Levin, a 6'8'' forward who is 31 years old and graduated from LBSU in 2018 where he earned an All-Big West First Team award, currently plays professionally in Canada. Despite his individual contributions, Levin was unable to lead the Calgary Surge (0-4) to victory against the undefeated Shooting Stars (4-0) in the Canadian Elite Basketball League. In a closely contested game in Toronto, the Calgary Surge (#5) narrowly lost 106-104 to the Shooting Stars. Levin showcased his skills during the match, recording 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in just 15 minutes of play. Despite the Surge's winless start to the season, the campaign is still in its early stages, leaving room for improvement and potential turnarounds. Levin's notable performance against Scarborough, where he tallied 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, highlights his versatility on the court. Currently, Levin maintains an average of 6.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game across the four games played this season. It is worth mentioning that Levin is a naturalized American, adding to the diverse background of players in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
Other former Long Beach State University players, who play in pro basketball:
Temidayo Yussuf (6'7''-C-1996, played in 2014-19) plays for Benfica in Portuguese Liga Betclic
Isaiah Washington (6'1''-G-1998, played in 2020-21) plays for Casademont Zaragoza in Spanish Liga Endesa
Eugene Phelps (6'6''-F-1990, played in 2008-12) plays for Niigata Albirex in Japanese B3 League
Barry Ogalue (6'6''-SF-1994, played in 2015-18) plays for Caballeros de Culiacan in Mexican CIBACOPA
Justin Bibbins (5'9''-PG-1996, played in 2014-17) plays for JDA Dijon Bourgogne in French Betclic ELITE ProA
Tyler Lamb (6'5''-G-1991, played in 2013-15) played for Kumamoto Volters in Japanese B2 League few monts ago
Edon Maxhuni (6'2''-PG-1998, played in 2017-19) plays for BCM Gravelines Dunkerque in French Betclic ELITE ProA
Tobias Rotegard (6'7''-G/F-2000, played in 2021-23) plays for Menorca in Spanish Primera FEB
Max De Geest (6'3''-G-2000, played in 2019-20) played for Canterbury Rams in New Zealand NBL last year
Amari Stroud (6'1''-F, played in 2022-24) plays for San Diego Surf in the USBL
Austin Johnson (6'9''-F, played in 2024-25) plays for H.Kralove in Czech Republic NBL
Colin Slater (6'1''-G-1997, played in 2018-18) plays for Rustavi in Georgian Superleague
T.J. Robinson (6'8''-F-1989, played in 2008-12) played for Boston College in Chilean LNB last year
Aboubacar Traore (6'5''-F-2001, played in 2021-24) plays for La Leonesa in Spanish Segunda FEB
Ron Freeman (6'6''-G-1996, played in 2018-19) played for Thailand Gorillas in Thailand TGBL last year
Marcus Tsohonis (6'3''-G-2000, played in 2022-24) played for Esperos GS Lamias in Greek National League 1 last year
Nick Faust (6'6''-SG-1993, played in 2014-14) played for Escuderos de Jalisco in Mexican CIBAPac last year
Joe Hampton (6'8''-F-1998, played in 2020-22) plays for Estudiantes de Tucuman in Argentinian La Liga Argentina
Lin Chang (6'9''-F-1988, played in 2007-11) plays for Jiaozuo in Chinese NBL
Jordan Roberts (6'8''-F-1999, played in 2017-22) plays for Kriol Star in Cape Verdean Praia League
RJ Rhoden (6'3''-G-2001, played in 2019-22) played for Tampa Bay Titans in the TBL last year
James Ennis (6'7''-F/G-1990, played in 2011-13) plays for Piratas in Venezuelan SPB
Chayce Polynice (6'11''-C, played in 2022-24) plays for Cartagena in Spanish Primera FEB
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Long Beach State University basketball alumni.
|
|
|
Ex-Players
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
